Lebanese journalist wounded by Israeli strike carries torch at Olympics
A Lebanese photojournalist who was severely wounded during an Israeli strike on south Lebanon carried the Olympic torch in Paris to honour journalists wounded and killed in the field on Sunday.
The torch relay, which started in May, is part of celebrations in which about 10,000 people from various walks of life were chosen to carry the flame across France before the Games opening ceremony on 26 July.
Christina Assi of Agence France-Presse was among six journalists struck by Israeli shelling on 13 October while reporting on a fire exchange along the border between Israeli troops and members of Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group.
The attack killed Reuters videographer Issam Abdallah. Assi was severely wounded and had part of her right leg amputated.
AFP videographer Dylan Collins, also wounded in the Israeli attack, pushed Assi’s wheelchair as she carried the torch across the suburb of Vincennes Sunday. Their colleagues from the press agency and hundreds of spectators cheered them on. [Continue reading…]